KEYWORDS: maryknoll, dream, fathers, maryknoll fathers, catholic

Maryknoll Fathers, The

David Berg

—(A Dream)—MO January 20, 1973 NO.200—GP

P. O. Box 31, London WC2E 7LX, England or GPO Box 3141, San Juan‚ Puerto Rico 00936

1. SCENE 1. APPARENTLY I WAS DREAMING: IT SEEMS LIKE I WAS WITH THE KIDS and we were visiting in the home of this Systemite whose young teenage daughter wanted to join us. But her father was throwing a fit, threatening us with violence if she went with us. But she begged for us to take her with us, and that she was actually afraid for her own safety if we left her there. So when he discovered that she was going to go with us, he began to rage and storm and chase us and her around the yard with a big club. So we all fled with the girl and left him behind and got away.

2. SCENE 2. THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER‚ WE WERE SOME DISTANCE AWAY IN ANOTHER TOWN OR SUBURB OF THE SAME AREA, Oddly enough, it seemed like the swanky suburbs of Washington, D.C., or some where near Washington—very beautiful. We were walking up a broad sidewalk leading from the public street—a whole group of us with the girl and our own young people—toward the front entrance of this beautiful building that looked like a school or a college. A friendly priest was walking along beside me leading the way. I had the distinct feeling we were seeking refuge or protection.

3. WALKING HURRIEDLY TOWARD US FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE COLLEGE WAS THIS HAPPY, SMILING, VERY FRIENDLY GROUP OF YOUNG STUDENT PRIESTS from what seemed to be a Catholic seminary. They wore light-coloured or white robes and they were hurrying toward us with their hands extended as though in welcome, and seemed to be very joyful about our coming. I said to our guide as they approached, "Who are these?"

4. THEY WERE VERY FINE LOOKING FELLOWS AND THEY SEEMED SO YOUNG AND FRIENDLY, like they were really glad to meet us and happy we had come. Our guide said, "They're the Maryknoll Fathers." (Isn't it amazing how specific names come? It's so marvelous! I had never heard of them before!) "They're the Maryknoll Fathers, and they like you, and they may be able to help you." In a moment we were hugging and kissing and cheerily greeting each other—boys and girls and all.

5. SCENE 3. The next thing I knew...(There was some kind of time lapse as I passed from one scene to another some time later)—THE NEXT THING I KNEW, WE WERE LIVING IN THIS HOUSE OR SMALL BUILDING that seemed to be right next to or very near the Catholic seminary, and these young student priests had befriended us and given us this place to stay. They liked to come over and visit us. My priestly guide was there again‚ and he and I were standing there watching—two fatherly old men watching our happy children playing in the yard—watching them fellowshipping, the young student priests mingling with our kids and enjoying their fellowship.

6. THE GIRL WHO HAD ESCAPED WITH US WAS THERE TOO, along with some of the other girls from our Colony, and it was as though the guide and I were just standing there sort of observing their happy fellowship together. Then he turned to me and chuckled quietly, rather amused, and winked at me, as I recall, and whispered: "They seem to be particularly fond of your girls!"

7. THAT WAS IT! WOKE UP, AND THE DREAM WAS STILL JUST AS CLEAR AS A PICTURE! I woke up immediately and looked at the clock and it was three o'clock! I was so startled, because that name kept ringing in my head, just like my angel didn't want me to forget it: "They're the Maryknoll Fathers, and they like you and may help you."

8. IT WAS REALLY AS THOUGHT THE HOME WHERE OUR KIDS HAD BEEN VISITING was the home of this girl in the city‚ and they fled out into the suburbs to this school. It was so clear and specific, it even startled me!—Like I knew I was dreaming and was amazed at the clarity and specifics. I HAD THE DEFINITE IMPRESSION‚ it was near Washington, D.C., and it was a Catholic seminary for priests, and they were the Maryknoll Fathers! It was as though as long as we were there on their property we were under their protection, and our enemies didn't dare attack us.

9. I REMEMBER WAKING UP ABOUT MIDNIGHT. I usually wake up during the night and pray a little while, but I had been sleeping pretty good and still felt sleepy. So I had about three swallows of wine and tried to go back to sleep, thinking: "Well‚ Maria's not going to get any revelations out of that! I can't get primed on three swallows! But how am I going to go back to sleep on three swallows of wine?" Then I thought, "Well, Lord‚ You're able to make me go to sleep and ever give me revelations without wine. Wine isn't always necessary."—And I went promptly to sleep and had this real strong vivid dream!

10. WHENEVER I GET ONE OF THESE SPECIFIC DREAMS THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO REMEMBER, my spirit guide keeps saying, "Don't forget it! Don't forget it!" So I woke up exactly at three o'clock and that dream and name were just as plain as could be! I asked Maria if she'd ever heard of such a Catholic order, because I'd never heard of it that I could remember. I even thought in the dream when the guy told me who they were, " I've never heard of and order like that!" But it seemed just so natural when he told me.

11. I DRANK THREE SWALLOWS OF WINE, slept three hours, the dream was in three parts, their name is three words, and we found later that their mission is particularly concerned with the Third world! The Catholics are particularly fond of the Trinity, so maybe this number three has some significance. To the Catholics these things are very significant. The Lord really often uses numerology.

12. HO TOLD US LATER THAT HE MET A MARYKNOLL SISTER in Geneva and found that the group is a radical Catholic order! He also met the head of their publishing house. They try to help liberate the poor.—Said they'd be glad to help us in Tanzania! We also looked them up in our Encyclopedia, and sure enough, there they were!—"MARYKNOLL, place, SE N.Y.‚ near Ossining‚ headquarters of Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America; estab. 1911. Here priests ("Maryknoll Fathers") are trained for foreign missions." (The Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia, 1953, Viking Press, N.Y.)

13. HOWEVER, THEIR SEMINARY WE WERE VISITING IN THE DREAM seemed definitely in the Washington, D.C. area‚ so they must have a school there, and we are to visit them sometime and be befriended by them! Praise the Lord! His wonders never cease! His directions are sometimes so specific! Don't fail to follow them! Contact the Maryknoll Fathers in your area and visit with them, and maybe we can find out what God means by this dream! God bless you and them!